Hinge



J- W. ENNIS April 22, 1969 HINGE Filed July 5, 1966 INVENTOR. JAMES w. E/wv/s WZ/dla-Q United States Patent 3,439,378 HINGE James W. Ennis, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to Cole Manufacturing Company, Memphis, Tenn. Filed July 5, 1966, Ser. No. 562,775 Int. Cl. Ed 5/06 US. Cl. 16-159 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hinge for use on doors and the like which includes a pair of hinge portions and means for pivotally holding the hinge portions together. The hinge portions are substantially alikeand each includes a plate portion having an aperture through which is adapted to extend a single primary attaching means in the form of a drive screw. A pair of flanges are attached to the plate portion for engaging the face of one of the members to which the hinge is adapted to be attached. The flanges serve to guide the hinge portion when attaching same and after attach ment prevents pivoting movement of the plate portion about the attaching means. A pair of prongs are fixedly attached to the plate portion and extend in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the axis about which the hinge pivots and perpendicular to the plane of the flanges.

The present invention relates to an improved hinge adapted for use on doors and the like. More particularly,

the present invention is an improvement over that type of hinge shown in my Patent No. 3,197,806, issued Aug. 3, 1965.

The hinge of my said patent is a very efficient type of hinge and it performs well. However, for some applications there are several disadvantages to said hinge which the present invention is directed towards overcoming. For example, to use the hinge of said patent it is necessary to first prepare the door and jamb for the reception of the attachment members by providing bores therein. Also, the attachment members of said patent are somewhat expensive when compared with the attachment means of the present invention.

Thus, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a hinge of the heretofore mentioned type in which it is not necessary to first prepare the door and jamb members for reception of the attachment means.

A further object is to provide such a hinge which is provided with pron-g means for holding the plate portion of the hinge fiat against the adjacent surface of the door or jamb member during and after the installation of the hinge so that during installation and particularly during the second step of the installation no external forces are necessary to hold the hinge in place and after installation the hinge is held in proper position for the non-twisting aspects of the hinge to be effective.

A further object is to provide such a hinge in which said prong means are so arranged and constructed that effective positioning and efficient holding power is obtained.

A further object is to provide such a hinge which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object is to provide such a hinge that is quick and easy to install accurately.

A further object is to generally improve the design and construction of hinges.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be more readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the hinge of the prescut invention shown attached to a door and a door jamb, with only a portion of the door and jamb being shown.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same as taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1, and with the closed position of the door being shown in broken lines.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line III-HI of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line IVIV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line VV of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by reference characters, the hing 11 of the present invention includes two substantially identical hinge portions 13, 15, and the following description of hinge portion 13 will suffice for both.

Hinge portion 13 includes a vertically extending barrel portion 17 having a vertical bore 19' therethrough. A vertically extending plate 21 is fixedly attached to barrel portion 17 and extends radially outwardly therefrom. In other words, the plate portion 21 bisects barrel portion 17 and if the plate portion were extended, it would pass through the vertical axis of the barrel portion. The barrel portion 17 and plate portion 21 are preferably integrally constructed by bending the metal to form the barrel portion at the end of the plate portion.

Flange means, preferably in the form of a pair of flanges 23, 25, are provided in hinge portion 13 adjacent the upper and lower ends of barrel portion 17. Flanges 23, 25 are preferably formed integrally out of the same piece of metal from which plate portion 21 and barrel portion 17 are formed, and thus the flanges are fixedly interconnected with the barrel portion and plate portion. Preferably, the above-mentioned formation of flanges 23, 25 is accomplished by making the plate portion 21 narrower in height than the barrel portion 17 and providing extensions of the barrel portion as at 27, 29, above and below the plate portion and thence bending the ends of the extensions perpendicular to the plate portion 21 to establish the flanges 23, 25. It will be understood that the extensions 27, 29 before being bent as above described to establish the flanges 23, 25 are in substantially the same plane as plate portion 21 but are substantially shorter than the plate portion.

Prong means comprising a pair of prongs 31, 33 are fixedly attached to plate portion 21 adjacent the distal or outer end 35 of the plate portion remote from barrel portion 17. Prongs 31, 33 extend perpendicularly out- Wardly from plate portion 21 in substantially the same direction as flanges 23, 25. Prongs 31, 33 are preferably integrally formed along the opposite edges 37, 39 of plate portion 21, out of the same piece of metal as plate portion 21. Preferably, the above-mentioned formation of prongs 31, 33 is accomplished by providing projections of the metal adjacent the outer corners of plate portion 21 and thence bending the projections perpendicular to the plate portion. It will be understood that the projections of metal from which the prongs are formed before being bent as above described extend outwardly in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane as plate portion 21. It will be noted that prongs 31, 33 are substantially fiat and respectively extend in parallel planes that are substantially perpendicular to the plane of flanges 23, 25. Prongs 31, 33 are substantially identical and the following description of prong 3.1 will suffice for both. Prong 31 is provided with an inner edge 41 substantially perpendicular to plate portion 21 and is provided with an outer edge 43 converging toward inner edge 41 to establish a blunt point 45 at the distal end of the prong.

A single aperture 47 extends through plate portion 21 and is disposed on the longitudinal center line of the plate portion and spaced substantially outwardly from flanges 23, 25.

A single primary attaching means is provided for hinge portion 13 and is preferably in the form of a so-called drive screw 49, that is preferably not fixedly attached to the plate portion 21 so that the hinge portion can be installed in two simple and convenient steps, which will be better understood in the description to follow later in this specification. However, it should be mentioned at this point that when drive screw 49 is in place, it extends through aperture 47 and substantially perpendicularly outwardly from plate portion 21 in substantially parallel relationship with flanges 23, 25 and in the same direction as the extension of the flanges. Thus, drive screw 49, prongs 31, 33 and flanges 23, 25 extend in the same general direction, but with the prongs 31, 33 turned substantially 90 relative to the flanges 23, 25. Aperture 47 is preferably tapered as at 51 so that the head 53 of the drive screw 49, when in place, is countersunk, as best seen in FIG. 3.

To install hinge portion 13, the drive screw 49 is removed therefrom and with the flanges 23, 25 being placed in position against the face F and the jamb I, the end of the plate portion 21 adjacent the prongs 31, 33 is struck with a hammer to imbed the prongs 31, 33 in the wood of the jamb, as shown in FIG. 5. It will be noted that with the arrangement of the prongs 31, 33 and the flanges 23, 25, the hinge portion 13 will be held in proper relationship to the jamb J and in tight engagement therewith with the inner face 55 of plate portion 21 being held in flat face to face engagement with the outer edge E of the jamb. With this arrangement the prongs are easily driven into place and tightly secure the hinge portion 13 against backing out of the prongs 31, 33. This is due to the relationship of the inner edge 41 and the outer edge 43 and the plane of the prong. In other Words, the planes of the prongs 31, 33, being perpendicular to the plane of the flanges 23, 25, cause the prongs to cut across the grain of the jamb J. After the hinge portion 13 is in place as heretofore described, the drive screw 49 is then inserted through aperture 47 and driven into the jamb I until it is imbedded as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In attaching hinge portion to the door D, it is done in a manner similar to that heretofore described relative to the attachment of hinge portion 13 and jamb I, with the flanges 57, 59 of hinge portion 15 which corresponds to flanges 23, being in abutment with the outer face F of the door adjacent the edge E of the door.

Hinge portions 13, 15 are so placed relative to one another that hinge portion 15 is above hinge portion 13, with the barrel portion 61 of hinge portion 15 in alignment with the barrel portion 17 of hinge portion 13. Also, hinge portions 13, 15 are so arranged that they are turned 180 relative to each other, so that when door D is closed, flanges 23, 25 will extend in opposite directions to flanges 57, 59, as best seen in FIG. 2. A vertically extending hinge pin 63 extends downwardly through the bores in barrel portions 61, 17 to pivotally attach the hinge portions for pivot about a vertical axis. In addition, the usual head 65 is provided on the upper end of hinge pin 63 to limit downward movement thereof.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that not only are the advantages present in hinge 11 that were present in my previous hinge of Patent No. 3,197,806, but there are also additional advantages, as well as overcoming some of the disadvantages of my previous hinge. Thus, as in the hinge of Patent No. 3,197,806, with the use of the present invention no routing of the door is necessary, and only a single primary attaching means for each hinge portion is necessary. In the present invention, there is simplicity of construction, it is inexpensive to manufacture, and there is no prior preparation of the door necessary. Also, the hinge portions are quickly and easily installed and are aligned properly. It will be understood that the unique hinge construction of the present invention is very efficient and will hold tightly against the door and door jamb without any pivoting movement of the hinges about the primary attaching means. Thus, the prongs maintain the hinge portions against the surfaces of the door and jamb and the flanges prevent any pivoting movement about the primary attaching means. Thus, for example, even if the drive screw 49 were not driven completely into the position shown in FIG. 3, and the head 53 was not tight against the plate portion, the hinge portion still could not pivot about the primary attaching means (drive screw 49) since the prongs keep the flanges in engagement with the surfaces of the door and jamb, which in turn prevent rotation about the drive screw.

Although the invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example, for purposes of clarity or understanding, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A hinge for pivotally attaching a door member to a jamb member comprising a pair of hinge portions adapted for butt mounting respectively to said members, means engaging said hinge portions for pivotally holding said hinge portions together for pivot about an axis; each of said hinge portions including a barrel portion, a plate portion fixedly attached to said barrel portion and extending outwardly therefrom, said plate portion being provided with an aperture therethro-ugh, only a single primary attaching means ertending through said aperture in unattached relationship to said plate portion and eX- tending substantially perpendicularly outwardly from said plate portion for engagement with one of said members and with the weight of said door member urging pivoting movement of said plate portion about the axis of said single attaching means, flange means fixedly interconnected with said plate portion and said barrel portion, said flange means extending substantially perpendicularly outwardly relative to said plate portion in sub stantially the same direction as said attaching means in substantially parallel relationship to the axis of said barrel portion for unattached engagement with the face of said one of said members and extending a suflicient distance outwardly to prevent said pivoting movement of said plate portion about said attaching means, and prong means fixedly attached to said plate portion and extending perpendicularly outwardly from said plate portion in substantially the same direction as said attaching means and said flange means for imbedding in said one of said members to hold said plate portion tightly thereagainst in flat face to face engagement therewith, said prong means including at least one substantially flat prong extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to said axis and the plane of said flange means.

2. The hinge of claim 1 in which said prong means comprises a pair of prongs disposed in spaced relationship respectively on opposite sides of said attaching means along opposite edges of said plate portion adjacent the outer distal end of said plate portion.

3. The hinge of claim 2 in which each of said prongs is provided with an inner edge substantially perpendicular to said plate portion and is provided with an outer edge converging towards said inner edge to establish a blunt point at the distal end of said prong.

4. The hinge of claim 1 in which said flange means comprises a pair of flanges disposed in spaced relationship adjacent the upper and lower ends of said barrel portion.

5. The hinge of claim 1 in which said attaching means comprises a drive screw.

6. A hinge for pivotally attaching a door member to a jamb member comprising a pair of hinge portions adapted for butt mounting respectively to said members, means engaging said hinge portions for pivotally holding said hinge portions together for pivot about an axis; each of said hinge portions including a barrel portion, a plate portion fixedly attached to said barrel portion and extending outwardly therefrom, said plate portion being provided with an aperture therethrough adapted to receive only a single primary attaching means extending through said aperture in unattached relationship thereto and extending substantially perpendicularly outwardly from said plate portion for engagement with one of said members and with the weight of said door member urging pivoting movement of said plate portion about the axis of said single attaching means, said attaching means consisting of a drive screw, a pair of flanges fixedly interconnected with said plate portion and said barrel portion adjacent the upper and lower ends of said barrel portion, said pair of flanges respectively extending substantially perpendicularly outwardly relative to said plate portion in substantially the same direction as said attaching means in substantially parallel relationship to the axis of said barrel portion for unattached engagement with the face of said one of said members and extending a sufiicient distance outwardly to prevent said pivoting movement of said plate portion about said attaching means, a pair of prongs respectively fixedly attached to said plate portion and extending perpendicularly outwardly from said plate portion in substantially the same direction as said attaching means and said flange means for imbedding in said one of said members to hold said plate portion in flat face to face engagement therewith, said pair of prongs being disposed in spaced relationship on opposite sides of said attaching means along opposite edges of said plate portion adjacent the outer distal end of said plate portion, each of said prongs being substantially flat and extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to said axis and the plane of said flanges, each of said prongs being provided with an inner edge substantially perpendicular to said plate portion and being provided with an outer edge converging towards said inner edge to establish a blunt point at the distal end of said prong, and each of said prongs being shorter in length than said flanges.

Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 880,757 3/1908 Rugg 16159 XR 1,069,364 8/1913 Winter. 1,098,634 6/1914 Neighbors 16-----167 1,821,606 9/1931 Anderson 16--159 3,197,806 8/1965 Ennis 16-159 FOREIGN PATENTS 382,047 9/ 1923 Germany.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

DORIS L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

